As well-known reporters get arrested for their involvement in the the Dakota Pipeline protest, our democracy is threatened.

Amy Goodman, co-founder of Democracy Now, is facing riot charges in North Dakota after reporting on the Native American-led pipeline protest.

Democracy Now is a news organization that creates programming through radio, podcasts, cable teleision, public access television, live streams and Web downloads. Amy Goodman’s story was posted on Facebook on September 4th and has over 14 million views. The story was picked up by mainstream media outlets like CBS, NBC, NPR, CNN, MSNBC, and The Huffington Post.

Documentary filmmaker Deia Schlosberg is also facing felony and conspiracy charges that could mean a 45 year sentence for filming at the protest. Authorities have confiscated her footage and refuse to release it. Actor Shailene Woodley was also arrested and jailed while leaving a protest at a construction site for the Dakota Access Pipeline. The police told her that she was singled out because she was well-known and had 40,000 people watching her live on Facebook. 27 other people were also arrested that week.

The protests are against the construction of a $3.8 billion pipeline that encroaches on Standing Rock Sioux tribal land and burial sites. The building of this pipeline could have detrimental effects on the tribes water supply as well.

Amy Goodman announced that she will surrender to authorities to fight a charge that she believes to be a clear violation of the First Amendment.

These arrests highlight the increase in power and risk associated with online news coverage. These arrests are a threat to democracy and if the cases are lost, our democracy will be too.

Ariana Marisol is a contributing staff writer for REALfarmacy.com. She is an avid nature enthusiast, gardener, photographer, writer, hiker, dreamer, and lover of all things sustainable, wild, and free. Ariana strives to bring people closer to their true source, Mother Nature. She graduated The Evergreen State College with an undergraduate degree focusing on Sustainable Design and Environmental Science. Follow her adventures on Instagram.